Prof Elsabé Loots obtained a PhD degree in Economics from the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU) in Johannesburg, South Africa. She started her academic career in 1989 at RAU (now the University of Johannesburg), followed by a professorial appointment at the University of the Free State and at Monash South Africa as Professor and Head of the School of Business and Economics. In 2009 she was appointed as Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the Potchefstroom Campus of North-West University, followed by the appointment of Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Pretoria in August 2012. She is a former President of the Economic Society of South Africa and of the South African Commerce Deans Association. She serves on the International Advisory Board of The Association for the Advancement of African Women Economists and is a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa.

Her area of specialisation is in development economics. She has lectured extensively at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and has supervised 24 Master’s and doctoral students. Her recent publications in peer-reviewed journals are focused on African economic development topics. She has been involved in African Peer Review Mechanism Background Papers and a Country Review Mission.